Alexander Gamaev - Nickname Sasha - The son of a famous Russian test pilot, thirty-six year-old
Sasha began flying gliders and parachute jumping at the age of 14. He graduated from secondary
school in 1977 and enrolled in the Armavir Higher Military Aviation School for Fighter-Pilots.

After graduating with honors in 1981, he spent four years as a fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force.
He then entered the Ministry of Aviation Industry Test Pilot School and began studies at the Moscow
Aviation Institute. Sasha completed test pilot school in 1987 and was assigned as an experimental
test pilot with the Mikoyan Design Bureau. In 1989, he graduated from Moscow Aviation Institute with
an "honored diploma of engineer system-technician".

Sasha's total flight experience includes more than 3500 flight hours in more than 40 types of aircraft
and prototypes. He participates in flight demonstrations all over the world and flew the MiG-29 in the
US during the Airshow Friendship Tour in 1991. He joined the M.M. Gromov Flight Research Institute
in 1994 and is currently pursuing his doctorate at the Postgraduate School of Aviation Equipment
Research Institute.

On January 15, 1998, Sasha received the Hero of Russia Award, Russia's highest military honor.